MIAMI, FL – April 24, 2015 – Hispanicize founder Manny Ruiz was recently inducted into the Miami Dade College Alumni Hall of Fame.
“Without Miami Dade, I wouldn’t have been able to go to college because back then I couldn’t afford it and I was an academic failure in high school who only excelled in journalism”
A serial media entrepreneur and award winning marketing professional, journalist and photographer, Ruiz was recognized for his achievements in the field of marketing and advertising. He graduated 23 years ago with an associates in arts degree from Miami Dade College, the largest and most diverse college/university in the nation. The college specifically cited Ruiz’s achievement in creating the annual Hispanicize event, one of the most prestigious gatherings of U.S. Latino influencers in the nation.
“I’m extremely honored to be in the company of many great alumni who got their first big chance at higher education at Miami Dade,” said Ruiz, who was the former co-editor-in-chief of the Metropolis, the nationally recognized college newspaper. “Without Miami Dade, I wouldn’t have been able to go to college because back then I couldn’t afford it and I was an academic failure in high school who only excelled in journalism.”
Ruiz was inducted into the college’s alumni hall of fame at a beautiful gala April 9th alongside 26 other alumni that included doctors, engineers, best-selling authors and more.
Miami Dade College President Dr. Eduardo Padrón personally handed Ruiz his award, something that had a particularly symbolic importance to him.
“It was especially fitting that Dr. Padrón awarded me because our newspaper staff deeply appreciated his commitment to a free press and to funding our newspaper – even when we were critical of school administrators,” said Ruiz. “For many of us who have gone on to become editors and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, Dr. Padrón is a champion mentor.”
Career Achievements and Past honors
An accomplished media entrepreneur and award-winning communications industry leader, Ruiz has more than 20 years in Hispanic media, marketing, social media and marketing.
In addition to serving as the founder and creative director of the annual event Manny is chairman of the Hispanicize brand of platforms that also include DiMe Media (formerly Latina Mom Bloggers), Hispanicize Wire and the Hispanic PR Blog. In addition, Manny is a large shareholder of the Being Latino platform and publishes his own personal blog PapiBlogger.
A former Miami Herald journalist and Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) PR Professional of the Year, Manny was a part of the Herald team that won a Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of Hurricane Andrew. He is frequently featured in national media outlets to discuss business, entertainment and marketing trends, along with parenting from a father’s perspective. Manny has been featured in a host of shows, national media and trade media outlets including CNN en Español, Despierta America, USA Today, NPR, The Miami Herald, and more. He also frequently serves as a national Spanish-language spokesperson for brands include State Farm and Best Western.
Prior to founding the Hispanicize-related platforms, Manny was President of Multicultural Markets and Hispanic PR Wire for PR Newswire. Prior to PR Newswire’s acquisition of Hispanic PR Wire, Hispanic Digital Network and LatinClips in 2008, companies he founded, Ruiz was Chairman and CEO of HispaniMark, the parent company of these three businesses.
Ruiz, who has been named one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the U.S. by Latino Leaders Magazine and in 2014 was awarded the Key to the City of Miami by Mayor Tomás Regalado for making Miami a magnet for Latino trendsetters and newsmakers. He also received the 2014 Miami Magnet Award by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) for positively impacting Greater Miami and the beaches.
Prior to founding his various media companies Manny was a professional photographer whose documentary work about Cuba won numerous awards. His photography work has also been exhibited in various South Florida arts institutions including Horstt, Florida International University and Books and Books. Several of Ruiz’s photographs are part of the permanent collection of the Cuban Heritage Collection of the University of Miami.